Electronic components, and telecommunications components in particular, are typically supported in open or enclosed support structures to organize and protect the components. The support structures include spaced-apart, vertically-aligned mounting flanges with a series of mounting holes for mounting the electronic components. The electronic components include panels with mounting slots, which align with the mounting holes in the mounting flanges of the support structures. Therefore, the electronic components can be mounted to the mounting flanges at a number of vertical positions, and a number of electronic components can be mounted to the support structure, in essentially a vertical column. In this manner, the electronic components are rigidly connected to the support structure.
Open support structures of such type are commonly called “racks” and may be free-standing and self-supporting, or may be affixed to external support structures (e.g., a floor and/or wall). Enclosed support structures of such type are commonly called “cabinets” and are typically free-standing and self-supporting. Cabinets may include doors and/or side panels, which may or may not be removable.
To ensure compatibility between the racks and cabinets and the electronic components (and panels thereof), the Electronics Industries Association (EIA) has published a standard entitled “Cabinets, Racks, Panels, and Associated Equipment.” This standard has also been accepted by the American National Standard association and has been designated ANSI/EIA-310-D (1992), and will be referred to herein as the “EIA Standard.” The disclosure of the EIA Standard is incorporated herein by reference.
The EIA Standard specifies, among other things, a certain number of acceptable widths for electronic components and the support structure. In particular the EIA Standard specifies the horizontal center-to-center distances between the mounting holes of the mounting flanges of the support structures, and between the mounting slots on either side of the panels of the electronics components (which will be referred to herein as the “mounting hole distance”), such that the mounting panels of the electronics components can be consistently mounted to the mounting flanges. The standard also specifies a customary unit of measure for the height of electronics component panels which is termed a “modular unit” or “U” for short. A “U” is equal to approximately 1.75″ or 44.45 mm.
The EIA Standard specifies that the “mounting hole distance” be either 465 mm, 592 mm or 745 mm (within a 6 mm tolerance), which is equivalent to 18.31 in, 23.31 in or 29.33 in (¼ in tolerance). Cabinets and racks which conform to the 465 mm (18.31 in) standard are typically called “19 inch” cabinets (or racks). Cabinets and racks which conform to the 592 m (23.31 in) standard are typically called “23 inch” cabinets (or racks). Similarly, electronics components are commonly designated by the terms “19 inch” or “23 inch”.
In addition, EIA Standard specifies the vertical spacing, or pitch, between the mounting holes of the mounting flanges of the support structure. “Universal” spacing requires a repeating sequence of spacing of 15.9 mm, 15.9 mm and 12.7 mm, or ⅝th in, ⅝th in and ½ in. “Wide” spacing requires a repeating sequence of spacing of 31.8 mm and 12.7 mm, or 1¼ in and ½ in.
The EIA Standard also specifies the vertical locations of mounting holes in the panels of the electronic components, which locations depend upon the height of the panel (e.g., 1U, 2U . . . 12U), and depend upon the spacing of the mounting holes of the mounting flanges (either “Universial” or “Wide”). The mounting slots of the panels can be “open” (i.e., extending to the edge of the panels) or “closed” (i.e., holes). “Closed” mounting slots are specified as ovals having a maxiumum horizontal length of 10.3 mm (+/−0.4 mm) and a maximum vertical height of 7.1 mm (+/−0.3 mm). “Open” mounting slots of the panels are specified as having a horizontal depth of 14.7 mm from the edge of the panel and a vertical height of 7.1 mm (+/−0.3 mm). The panels are specified as having a maximum horizontal width of either 482.6 mm, 609.6 mm or 762.0 mm (+/−0.4 mm).
Electronic equipment cabinets and racks manufactured according to the EIA Standard are widely used, however, they are limited to providing support for electronic components of one width (e.g., either the 19″ standard or the 23″ standard).
The present invention provides a cabinet system which can be easily configured to support electronic components which conform to the width specifications of the EIA Standard (e.g., 19″ or 23″) as well as components which do not conform to the width specifications. For example, a cabinet constructed according to the present invention can be configured to support and house one electronic component conforming with the 19″ width standard (e.g., a network “hub”, a second electronic component conforming with the 23″ standard (e.g., a network cable “patch panel”), and a third electronic component not conforming with any of the width standards (e.g., a “tower-form” network computer server.
As described in detail below the cabinet constructed according to the invention includes fixed support structure which supports intermediate support structure to which electronic components conforming to one of the width standards are mounted. The intermediate support structure can be located at a number of locations within the fixed support structure to provide for various arrangements of conforming electronic components and can be configured to support components conforming to more than one of the width specifications of the EIA Standard. Electronic components not conforming to the width specifications are supported on shelves mounted to the fixed support structure, which shelves can be mounted in a number of positions.